How Do You Keep Deer From Eating Your Garden Plants?

Do you plant numerous tasty veggies or beautiful flowers, only to wake up each morning and found that they've been eaten by deer? Deer are beautiful creatures, but having them eat your garden is frustrating. Here's a look at some ways you can keep deer away.

Build a deer fence.

If your yard is fenced in but deer are still eating your garden, it's probably because your fence is not tall enough. Deer often jump as high as 8 feet, which allows them to clear most standard, 6-foot fences. To keep deer away, consider replacing your current fence with a deer fence. There are two options here. You can opt for an 8-foot tall fence, which the deer won't be able to jump over, or you can opt for a shorter, 6-foot fence built at a slant. The fence should be slanted outward. Deer can't jump very high over a distance, so the slant will throw them off and keep them from jumping in.

If replacing your current fence is not an option, you can temporarily attach some wire mesh to the top of your fence to make it taller. Simply overlap the wire mesh with the regular fence, and wind wire through the overlapping area to secure the two. The end result won't look very pretty, but it will make the fence tall enough to keep deer out. (Make sure the combined height of your fence plus the mesh is at least 8 feet.)

Spread human hair around your garden.

If your garden is pretty small and you don't want to spend the money to fence in your whole yard, this strategy is a simple and effective one to try. Deer hate the scent of human hair – it makes them think a human is nearby and will drive them away. So, the next time you have your hair cut, ask your hair dresser to bag the hair up for you. If the idea does not gross you out, you could even ask a local hair dresser to give you some hair trimmings. Then, scatter these around the outside of your garden. You'll want to apply new hair from time to time as it blows away in the breeze. Wetting the hair down will keep it in place longer.

Deer can be a real nuisance. But whether you're trying to protect a small garden or a large one that takes up most of your yard, there are ways to keep them from eating your plants.

For more information, contact a company like B & B Fence.


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